Services for Homeowners & Private Clients

A professional appraisal is an independent, impartial, and objective opinion of a property’s market value — prepared by a state-certified appraiser. There are many situations beyond a mortgage where one is the right tool.

Making Sense of Your Market

Eastern Connecticut has distinct and sometimes nuanced local markets. If you’re trying to understand what your property is actually worth — not what Zillow says, not what your neighbor got — a local appraiser with 25 years of market knowledge in this specific area can give you a clear answer.

Selling or Buying Without an Agent

If you are selling your home privately, or buying a property for cash, an independent appraisal gives you an objective basis for pricing or negotiation — one that does not depend on an agent’s market advice or a lender’s automated valuation model.

Settling an Estate or Inherited Property

When you inherit a home — or are responsible for settling an estate — a professional appraisal establishes the fair market value at the time of death. This is often required for tax purposes and is essential when property must be distributed fairly among heirs.

Attorneys handling estate matters will generally direct their clients to obtain one. You may also engage an appraiser directly at any stage of the process.

Divorce and Partnership Dissolution

The shared home often represents the largest jointly held asset. A neutral, impartial appraisal helps the parties and their attorneys arrive at a fair value for purposes of equitable distribution or buyout.

Medicaid Planning for Long-Term Care

If you or a family member need to apply for Medicaid, state agencies typically require documentation of the fair market value of real property. An independent appraisal satisfies this requirement.

Property with a Crumbling Foundation

If your home has been affected by the pyrrhotite concrete crisis, understanding its current market value — with the defect honestly and accurately reflected — is essential. An appraisal from someone who knows this market and this problem specifically gives you reliable information.

For ongoing news and developments, see the Crumbling Foundations resource page.

Contributory Value of New Work

Before undertaking a significant addition, renovation, or change to your property, an appraisal can help you understand how much — if any — of that investment the market is likely to return in added value. Not every improvement adds dollar-for-dollar value; knowing the likely contribution before you build is useful information.

Charitable Donation

If you plan to donate real property to a qualifying organization, the IRS requires a qualified appraisal for tax deduction purposes. This is a specific type of appraisal with its own documentation standards.